State of the Raiders … for now

Raiders coach Dennis Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie are of the belief that they have enough talent on their roster as it stands to compete for a Super Bowl title this season.
Naturally, that remains to be seen. Also, what else are they going to say? Time will tell. What’s certain is that the Raiders roster for the 2012 season will be comprised mostly of players currently under contract.
The Raiders have five selections in the upcoming NFL draft, and they still figure to add a handful more players through veteran free agency, as well as undrafted free agents.
So, things can change in a hurry. In the interim, let’s take a look at where the Raiders stand after more the first two weeks of free agency and a slew of offseason moves that included the purging of 2011 opening-game starters Stanford Routt, Chris Johnson, Samson Satele, Kamerion Wimbley, Jason Campbell, Chaz Schilens and Quentin Groves through outright release or free agency.
This is what awaits Allen next week, when he and his coaching staff are permitted to work with their players for the first time this season.

Quarterback
Who’s here: Carson Palmer, Terrelle Pryor, Rhett Bomar
Who’s gone: Jason Campbell, Kyle Boller
What’s needed: Pryor hasn’t taken a snap in an NFL regular-season game and spent most of his rookie season adjusting to the NFL. Romar has yet to play in a real game, either. Therefore, it’s likely that the Raiders will address the need for a backup to Palmer by signing a veteran free agent before training camp.

Running back
Who’s here: Darren McFadden, Taiwan Jones, Lonyae Miller, Rashawn Jackson
Who’s gone: Michael Bush, Rock Cartwright
What’s needed: The Raiders are set at running back if Allen and McKenzie feel as if Jones is ready for a heightened role. McFadden is expected to be the workhorse once again after missing most of the final 10 games with a sprained foot. Jones played only sparingly as a rookie, yet he showed during training camp and exhibition games that he can be effective as a complementary back.

Tight end
Who’s here: Brandon Myers, David Ausberry, Richard Gordon
Who’s gone: Kevin Boss
What’s needed: McKenzie jettisoned Boss one season into a four-year contract. That leaves him without a proven player as his starter. It’s conceivable that Myers or Ausberry can blossom into the role this season. Still, it says here that McKenzie will keep searching for a veteran to hold down the spot filled by Boss last season until he is comfortable with one of his younger players.

Wide receiver
Who’s here: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford, Louis Murphy, Eddie McGee
Who’s gone: Chaz Schilens, T.J. Houshmandzadeh
What’s needed: Heyward-Bey, Moore and Ford played well, at times, last season, especially when they weren’t hurt. However, none has emerged as a No. 1-type receiver yet. The hope is, that one or more of them will do this season. That leaves the Raiders in the market for depth in light of the departure of Schilens to the Jets and Houshmandzadeh not being re-signed.

Offensive line
Who’s here: Jared Veldheer, Stefen Wisniewski, Cooper Carlisle, Mike Brisiel, Khalif Barnes, Joseph Barksdale, Bruce Campbell, Zach Hurd, Alex Parsons
Who’s gone: Samson Satele, Stephon Heyer
What’s needed: Losing Satele to the Colts via free agency became a non-issue once the Raiders signed Brisiel to a multi-year contract. Brisiel’s arrival frees up Wisniewski to slide from left guard to center. The Raiders also re-signed Barnes and Carlisle in moves that ensured the Raiders offensive line would return intact, with the exception of Satele. Barksdale and Campbell are expected to compete for starting jobs in training camp. Hurd and Parsons provide added depth and options. This isn’t a unit that needs much help, if any, moving forward.

Defensive line
Who’s here: Matt Shaughnessy, Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly, Lamarr Houston, Desmond Bryant, Jamie Cumbie, Mason Brodine, Travis Ivey, Hall Davis
Who’s gone: Jarvis Moss, John Henderson, Trevor Scott
What’s needed: The Raiders let walk Scott, and they haven’t made any move to bring back Moss. They tendered a one-year contract to Bryant, who is expected to play an even bigger role than he did last season, when he filled in for the injured Shaughnessy for most of the season. All four starters are back. However, the Raiders are without a proven nose tackle, which they will need if they intend to play a 3-4 scheme. Ivey and Bryant are prime candidates if the Raiders can’t find, or afford, a veteran free agent.

Linebackers
Who’s here: Aaron Curry, Rolando McClain, Travis Goethel, Carl Ihenacho,
Who’s gone: Kamerion Wimbley, Darryl Blackstock, Quentin Groves
What’s needed: McKenzie said he still wants to add an outside linebacker. That makes perfect sense, given the departure of Wimbley to the Tennessee Titans via free agency. Curry and McClain finished the season as starters last year. Even so, this is the unit that poses the biggest question mark heading into training camp. Look for one or more linebacker to be added, be it in free agency of the NFL draft.

Specialists
Who’s here: Sebastian Janikowski, Shane Lechler, Jon Condo
Who’s gone: Rock Cartwright
What’s needed: Perhaps another core special-teamer who can replace Cartwright. Kassim Osgood would be a great fit here. Beyond that, the Raiders still boast one of the best specialists trio in the league.

Michael Huff is buying lotto tickets now. WTF? The whole country is insane!

poprox13

Campbell

Bush

Wimbley

Routt

Eugene

Johnson

Henderson

Boss

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And nothing of importance was lost…..

guest123

poprox13 Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 10:25 am
Campbell

Bush

Wimbley

Routt

Eugene

Johnson

Henderson

Boss

—————————

And nothing of importance was lost…..

********

Call it what you want in terms of ‘importance’, but we have today and what we had pre-Reggie is a huge dropoff in talent. Not that I’m blasting Reggie for it. He had no choice but take his poison pill contracts and eat them.

mcfadden20.

guest123 Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 10:23 am

Michael Huff is buying lotto tickets now. WTF? The whole country is insane!

—

These guys going to end up being big time gambler’s and end up on street some day

Call it what you want in terms of ‘importance’, but we have today and what we had pre-Reggie is a huge dropoff in talent. Not that I’m blasting Reggie for it. He had no choice but take his poison pill contracts and eat them.

———————–

We have a new DC, because of that we have already improved.

guest123

We have a new DC, because of that we have already improved.

**********

I think it’s too early to proclaim that to be true. Who’s to say we aren’t just as bad, but in different ways. Maybe the discipline is better, but if the talent drops off, it could all be a wash and our D might still suck all over again.

jesusraiderjim

355.Raider O Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 10:16 am
331,

Btw, I agree. I want to start working on my MBA.
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Lmao Good one “O” you are suuuuch a dumb a..s. Ignore the troll.

DT42

guest123 Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 10:27 am

Call it what you want in terms of ‘importance’, but we have today and what we had pre-Reggie is a huge dropoff in talent. Not that I’m blasting Reggie for it. He had no choice but take his poison pill contracts and eat them.
===================================
I think what we are seeing is that players are realizing that with Al you knew you would be taken care of. Every year all of these “horrible” contracts would get re-done and Al got a large % of players that he wanted. I always laugh at the JR. GM’s that would get all worked up over cap numbers but I don’t remember ever losing a player that Al wanted to keep due to cap numbers except for Woodson who at the time had multiple injuries and we had a replacement that no one believed in except Al. Now its more about business with management and players. Now its our new coach talking about being an “employee of the NFL first”. The days of being an outlaw franchise are over. Hopefully the new regime will produce more wins than in the past, and in the end it really is all about winning, but I’ll still miss the Raiders being Raiders and not employees of the NFL like all of those other lame franchises out there.

I always laugh at the JR. GM’s that would get all worked up over cap numbers but I don’t remember ever losing a player that Al wanted to keep due to cap numbers except for Woodson
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You can’t say that for certain. You don’t know who Al wanted to keep. You don’t know who Al would have liked to have made a run at but couldnt because of money. It think it is damn foolish to think that just because we always moved millions of dollars around to get under the cap that we werent strapped or limited in our ability to sign FA’s.

RaiderRockstar

thanks, Goldie

jesusraiderjim

Flew in to Oakland 2 days ago. It feels so good to be home even if it’s just for a couple weeks. Stayin at the San Leandro marina inn. Great place great view. I miss the bay area. Go raiders Go A’s!!!!!

^^^^^^^^^
We have all been voting big time since last night and why hasn’t that thing moved from 51%??

Just Fire Baby

It think it is damn foolish to think that just because we always moved millions of dollars around to get under the cap that we werent strapped or limited in our ability to sign FA’s.

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Co-sign

RaiderRockstar

Mike Shanahan hasn’t done squat since 2005.

McNabb was a Pro Bowler in ’09

8RaiderReign8

poprox13 Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 10:25 am
Campbell

Bush

Wimbley

Routt

Eugene

Johnson

Henderson

Boss

—————————

And nothing of importance was lost…..
__________________

Bush and Routt were the only real losses talent wise

DT42

bcz24 Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 11:03 am

You can’t say that for certain. You don’t know who Al wanted to keep. You don’t know who Al would have liked to have made a run at but couldnt because of money. It think it is damn foolish to think that just because we always moved millions of dollars around to get under the cap that we werent strapped or limited in our ability to sign FA’s.
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So i can’t have an opinion for certain? Name players that the Raiders missed out on because of Cap issues. How many websites are dedicated to rumors and info on why players sign with certain teams. When have the Raiders ever been accused of not being in the running with other teams becuase of cap numbers. It was the same every year. Big contracts that were crazy on paper and were horrible, followed by re-negotiated contracts that made the cap numbers irrelavant. I grew up in a place where a GM used cap issues for the reasons that they never paid for talent. As soon as new ownership came in they won championships. All of a sudden it wasn’t a big a deal.

The pathetic thing is that all you got from my post was that I didn’t have Al Davis on speed dial when he was signing players…….WOW……SURPRISE!!!!!!

DKnight007

382.jesusraiderjim Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 11:05 am
Flew in to Oakland 2 days ago. It feels so good to be home even if it’s just for a couple weeks. Stayin at the San Leandro marina inn. Great place great view. I miss the bay area. Go raiders Go A’s!!!!!

^^^^^^^^
Horatios next door has fantastic food!

If you want to save money, go during happy hour early or late at 9pm.

R8drinOK

On the voting for the 76 Raiders, once you slide the bar over to the raiders side, does that count as a vote for them? My browser isn’t loading the page correctly. GO 76 RAIDERS!!

http://repealitnow.org MistaBrown

DiKnight, are you still sucking on J Lin ?

haha

http://repealitnow.org MistaBrown

Stop with the pro bowl references – see R Seymour
______

RaiderRockstar Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 11:11 am

Mike Shanahan hasn’t done squat since 2005.

McNabb was a Pro Bowler in ‘09

R8drinOK

Speaking of the Raiders and Super Bowls, anyone remember the rumored trade Al had on the table for Steve Young when Montana was still a capable starter? I believe it was Marcus for Young straight up but the Niners wanted additional draft pics? Man, just think with our Defense and Bo and then add a QB like Young…at least 2 more Lombardi’s for the Raiders. I still have nightmares about Schroeder!!!

JLofty

Sup Goldie? Hope ur well…

Shanarat has NEVER developed a QB in his career right? You can’t credit him for Elway or any of the 9Ball QBs. Who’d he ever develop in Dungver? The bearded one? Hahahahaha! He’s alienated more QBs than any other coach I can thinnk of.

JLofty is going to roll with Ausberry for MUP. At least in March I am…

hwnrdr

Jay Schroeder…OMG! Well, with Bo, he got us to the Championship game

JLofty

R8rinOK I don’t recall anything of that nature. Young was pretty dominant, that is just sad to think I had to endure, Jay Shroeder and Marajuanavich instead of #8.
But I don’t remember any such trade rumor…